Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has said Barwani district’s red chilli, cotton and bananas are winning recognition in markets across the world, thanks to the hard work of local farmers and their adoption of modern farming methods.
Yadav was speaking on Tuesday at the Balram Krishi Mahotsav in Barwani, joining the event through video conferencing from his office at the Madhya Pradesh Assembly. He said the district’s name comes from the banyan trees (“bad ke van”) that once dominated its landscape, and just as the banyan tree offers vast shade, Barwani is now becoming a model of farming, entrepreneurship and innovation for the rest of the country.
GI tag push for Barwani’s red chilli
The Chief Minister said chilli farmers in Barwani are moving away from traditional methods towards scientific farming, modern grading and better packaging, which has boosted demand for the district’s chilli both in India and abroad. He said the state government is working to get a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Barwani’s red chilli, which would give it patent protection in global markets and a new identity as an international brand. Pansemal MLA Shyam Barde was present at the event.
Rs 5,000 crore for irrigation projects
Yadav said good harvests depend on water reaching the far ends of every field. He said the state government is working on the Sendhwa, Niwali, Pati and Naglawadi lift irrigation schemes, along with the Shaheed Bhima Naik Sagar (Lower Goi) project, at a combined cost of around Rs 5,000 crore. Once complete, these projects will bring irrigation to more than 1.21 lakh hectares of farmland across 319 villages in Barwani district.
He recalled that the state’s first “Krishi Cabinet” meeting of the Kisan Kalyan Varsh was held in Barwani, with a focus on expanding irrigation capacity. The state aims to raise its irrigation capacity to 100 lakh hectares. He also reaffirmed a promise to upgrade the Khetiya farm produce market into a fully-equipped model market, and said there is no shortage of fertiliser in the state. A 50-acre “model seed production centre” is also being set up in Barwani so farmers do not have to look elsewhere for quality seeds.
Cotton farmers in line for textile boom
The Chief Minister said Madhya Pradesh is working to become a textile hub, built on the strength of its farmers, with Barwani’s record cotton output playing a key role. Farmers in Sendhwa, Rajpur and Pati are growing cotton using the “high density planting system” across nearly 5,000 hectares, a modern technique that has raised output and income while cutting costs and labour.
He said farmers are being linked to buyers, exporters and markets through ties with the South India Mills’ Association, helping them get better international prices for their cotton. He added that the country’s largest PM MITRA textile park, coming up in neighbouring Dhar district, will also benefit cotton farmers in Barwani, as their cotton will feed directly into the park’s mills, pushing up local prices and creating jobs for young people close to home.
Bananas from Barwani reach Gulf markets
Yadav said drip irrigation and tissue culture techniques have helped Barwani’s banana farmers reach international markets in Gulf countries. He said a mega food processing cluster is being developed at Ghatwa in Rajpur tehsil, which will include modern pack houses, cold chain facilities and grading units. This will extend the shelf life of bananas, link farmer producer organisations with large companies, and help build Barwani’s banana into an export brand.
Farmers to get 4 times market rate as compensation
The Chief Minister said the government has decided that farmers will now be approved a single crop loan for the full year, with 12 months to repay it. He also announced that farmers whose agricultural land is acquired for development projects in rural areas will now receive compensation four times the market rate.
He said the government transferred Rs 1,475 crore to the accounts of more than 7 lakh soybean farmers to protect them from market fluctuations, and has now brought mustard and paddy under the price deficiency payment scheme as well. Paddy farmers are being given an additional Rs 4,000 per hectare, and the state has, for the first time, purchased kodo-kutki millets at MSP on record scale, paying farmers a bonus of Rs 1,000 per quintal.
Yadav said farmers are currently getting 10 hours of uninterrupted power daily, with a target of moving to 24 hours in future. An “e-Vikas system” has been introduced to end irregularities in fertiliser distribution.
Support for dairy and solar farming
To strengthen the rural economy and boost milk production, the government is offering loans of up to Rs 42 lakh and subsidies of up to 33 percent to farmers setting up dairies with at least 25 milch animals. The per-litre incentive for milk has also been raised from Rs 20 to Rs 40. The Chief Minister added that the central and state governments are promoting solar power generation on farms, to help turn farmers into energy providers as well. He said Barwani will soon get rail connectivity, which will give a boost to the district’s development and trade.
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